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Chapter 2 NOTES: The Fight for Democracy and the
English Civil War
· 1215 Magna Carta p.19

One of the most important landmarks on the road to democracy

Recognized individual freedoms and required the king to consult
parliament and rule
lawfully
.
· 1603-1625 James I Rules p.29-30

Came into power after
Elizabeth I
died (he was king of
Scotland as James IV)

Had ties to France and other Roman Catholic countries

Preferred to be an “absolute

Introduced the idea of the

Selected incompetent advisors and gave them titles (Duke of Buckingham)
monarch
Divine
”
Right of Kings
angering nobles

Tried to find sources of money without consulting parliament- in
retaliation parliament only gave him tax money with the promise of more
powers for parliament

Died of stomach problems in 1625
· 1625-1628 Charles I Rules without Parliament p.30-32

Son of James I

Also believed in Divine Right of Kings

Was always looking for more money and relied on his father’s ally the
Duke of Buckingham

.
Constantly disagreeing with parliament so tried to rule without it; brought
back
of noble titles.
ship money
, tonnage and poundage, billeting, selling
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
Had secret
Court of Star Chamber
to convict,
imprison and fine his enemies (people tried by this court had no rights
under the law).
· 1628 Charles I Recalls Parliament p.32

He recalled parliament because he needed more

Parliament told the king they would not give him money until he stopped
all illegal activity and signed the
money
Petition of Right
· 1628 Petition of Right p.33

Charter that laid out the complaints that parliament had with the king.

Outlined all of the illegal activity and abuses of power that Charles had to
stop

He refused to sign it and dissolved parliament again

Soon after the Duke of Buckingham was assassinated and so Charles
began to look to others
(Stafford and Laud)
to
find money for him.
· 1640-1653 The Short and Long Parliament p. 34-35

A revolt in Scotland (Scottish Presbyterians did not want to worship in the
style of the Church of England) meant that Charles I needed money to pay
for soldiers

Recalled parliament (short parliament) however they sympathized with the
scots so he shut it down after just 3 weeks

Called a new parliament (Long Parliament- sat for 13 yrs), however, they
were even more unfriendly to Charles I. They demanded that he hand over
Stafford and Laud (they were executed).

Parliament then passed a bill called the
Grand Remonstrance
that would take away some of the kings powers.
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Charles then
invaded
parliament with 500 soldiers and tried
to arrest the leaders. Forewarned, parliament called for their own army and
Charles I fled north.

Queen Henrietta took the
crown jewels
to Europe to pawn
them so that Charles I could fund an army.
· 1642-1649 The Civil War p.35-36

Charles I and his “
“

roundheads
royalists
” fought against Cromwell’s
”.
Charles I was successful at first but soon parliament made an alliance with
the Scots who attacked from the north

Cromwell modernized his army and called them the
New Model
Army.

Charles I was eventually defeated at Marston Moor and he fled to
Scotland. The scots then
arrested
him and handed him over
to parliament.
· 1642-1653 Pride’s Purge & The Rump Parliament p.36

When the civil war began those loyal to Charles I left to go and fight with
him leaving only the
Presbyterians
and
Puritans
in parliament.

The Presbyterians and puritans disagreed on many issues; the
Presbyterians would have been okay with
Charles I
returning with limited powers while the puritans wanted a

After some rebellions in support of the king, Colonel Pride drove out the
Presbyterian members of parliament. This was known as “
Purge

republic.
Prides
”.
The Puritans that remained in control of parliament were called “The
Rump Parliament”.
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· 1649 Trial of Charles I p.37

When handed over to parliament, Charles I was charged with
treason

.
Charles tried to argue that it was ridiculous to charge him with treason
since treason was defined as overthrowing the
king
- so he was
being charged with trying to overthrow himself.

Despite his protests he was found
guilty
, sentenced to death and
executed.
· 1653-1658 Lord Protector: Cromwell p.44

After Charles I was executed
The Rump Parliament
ruled as a republic.

Many disagreed with The Rump Parliament and rebellions in Ireland and
Scotland
were problematic for them.

Cromwell commanded his army to brutally squash the rebellions

Eventually, in 1653, Cromwell lost patience with parliament. He stormed
it with his army. Barred the doors and declared himself a
dictator

military
of England: The Lord Protector
He ruled until he died in 1658. During his rule he enacted the blue laws.
· 1660-1685 The Restoration Under Charles II p.44-46

After Cromwell’s death his son took over but was incapable of ruling

General Monk
(who commanded the army in the north)
returned and called back the Long Parliament.

The Long Parliament was dissolved and another parliament was elected.

The new parliament voted to reinstate
Charles II
(Charles I
son) as king of England.

Parliament insisted that Charles II rule with limitations on his power. He
agreed but

secretly
planned to change this.
He tried to protect the religious freedom of the Catholics he sympathized
with which prompted parliament to pass the
Test Act
.
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· 1673 Test Act p.46

The Test Act was an act forbidding anyone except members of the Church
of England
(protestants)
from holding political office
or being a professional.
· 1685-1688 James II Rules p.46-47

Charles II died in 1685 and his Catholic brother
James II
took the thrown.

In addition to being Catholic, James II believed in the Divine Right of
Kings.

He was met with rebellion and responded brutally.
· 1688 The Glorious Revolution p.46-47

Eventually parliament forced James II to
abdicate
his
thrown and gave it to his protestant daughter Mary and her husband
William of Orange.
· 1689 Bill of Rights

King William and Queen Mary agreed to the new
Bill of Rights
that made it clear that parliament was the real power in the country.

The Bill of Rights paved the way for the democratic rights we all enjoy
today.